


Regret

by castronomicaaal



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-12 21:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3355868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castronomicaaal/pseuds/castronomicaaal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last person Beth expects to find standing on her doorstep on a late Saturday afternoon is Daryl Dixon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regret

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sammxhill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammxhill/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day! This isn't exactly what I had talked about doing originally but I was inspired to write it like this and I hope you enjoy it!

The last person Beth expects to find standing on her doorstep on a late Saturday afternoon is Daryl Dixon.

Honestly, seeing him standing there before her shocks her to her very core, igniting her spine and the tips of her toes and fingers and making her hair stand on ends. It’s an electric shock, surprise mixed with regret and worry clouding her mind as she looks the man over.

He’s standing on her porch with a sheepish smile in place, leather jacket covering his frame just like she last remembers seeing him. And with roses in his hand.

Beth’s heart feels as though it’s going to give out, stuttering in and out of rhythm as waves of realization take over her small frame. He’s here for her, standing before her in the flesh with roses as though it will make the past year of her life without him disappear.

The blonde soon feels anger beginning to bubble from within, the hair on her arms standing to attention as the skin pebbles and goose bumps emerge. It’s almost like seeing a ghost—a ghost she thought she would never see again.

“These’re for you,” he mumbles, pressing the flowers forward.

Beth doesn’t move to take them, just eyes them over wearily before Daryl sighs and rests them against the swing on her porch.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she tells him after, shaking her head. She hates the way the lump in her throat rises, threatening to choke her. “What are you doin’ here, anyway?”

Daryl shrugs, playing with the loose threads along the hem of his jacket. His eyes move away from her own, clearly not liking the look on Beth’s face as she regards him. “Dunno,” he eventually responds. “Guess I’m just ready now.”

The blonde watches him in near disbelief, sighing incredulously as her heart beat increases with every further second she stands there. “You’re ready now? Daryl, you asked me to marry you and then took off two weeks later, leavin’ me behind with nothin’ but a note tellin’ me you were sorry.”

He grimaces, running his hand over his face. “I made some mistakes,” he admits.

Beth frowns, shaking her head. “Me too.”

Her tone lets him know just what exactly she means— _him_ —and he cringes, biting his lip. “It don’t have to be this way.”

“Yes it does,” the blonde refutes, clenching her fists by her thighs. “You left me.”

“I’m here now.”

Beth shakes her head slowly, swallowing thickly. “You think just showin’ up on Valentine’s with flowers is supposed to make me forgive you? It’s been a year, Daryl,” she emphasizes, frowning deeply, “a year. You need to go.”

“Beth, come on,” he implores, grabbing the flowers from the swing once more. He pushes them out for her once more, a deep frown of his own covering his features. She looks him over for a minute or two, examining him over thoroughly, and can see just how tired and how worn out he looks.

“I’m with somebody else now,” she whispers eventually. This takes Daryl by surprise, his eyes widening as his hands drop back by his side. He lets the roses fall to the porch, landing with a quiet thud.

“Beth…”

“Don’t do this,” she shakes her head, closing both eyes. “He’s inside right now, getting’ ready. We’re goin’ out tonight Daryl, he’s had it planned for weeks. Please don’t do this.”

She can see the slight tremble of his lower lip and Beth knows that he’s about ready to cry. But instead he coughs and wipes at his cheek, turning away before she can see the tears falling. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” he admits, voice hoarse.

The blonde bites her lip, shivering due to both her emotions and the chilly air. “Daryl, I’m not sorry,” she confesses, shaking her head. “I may regret how things ended up, but I’ll never apologize for bein’ with Rick.”

“Rick?” Daryl repeats his name mockingly, turning back to meet Beth’s gaze. She takes a step back as their eyes connect, almost taken aback by just how upset and angered his eyes look as they fall on her. “I’m sure you’re just livin’ perfectly now, aren’t ya? Without me to drag you down.”

“Don’t do this,” she starts, pressing her lips together tightly after. Taking a second to calm down, she sighs and runs her hand through her blonde locks. “You did this, not me. But now I’m happy. Daryl, I am really happy. You can’t do this, you have no right to be here right now.”

“What about the ring?”

His voice catches her off guard, coming out softer and she feels her body stiffening. Beth frowns, glancing momentarily at her ring finger, at the spot on her hand where his ring once resided. “In my jewelry box,” she admits. “I didn’t know what to do with it after.”

Daryl nods curtly. “Does he know?”

“Rick?” Beth confirms before nodding slightly. “I told him everythin’,” she offers to Daryl sincerely.

“Guess there ain’t much to do about it now,” he shrugs, scratching at his arm. “Sorry I ruined your perfect day.”

Before Beth has the chance to respond or add anything further to their discussion Daryl is grabbing the flowers from off of the porch and heading back over to his motorcycle.

He starts it quickly, the blonde wiping away a lose tear along her cheek as she watches him take off.

“Who was that?”

Rick is by her side a moment later, looking her over curiously. She sniffles, composing herself before she meets his gaze and smiles softly. “Just somebody lookin’ for an old friend,” she tells him. “Wrong house, I guess.”

He nods easily enough, pulling her close before he leans down and kisses her lips quickly.

The blonde pulls back, grinning softly up at him and releasing a soft giggle as she spots his half-dressed appearance.  “Better get ready, we’ve got to leave soon.”

He nods, planting one last lingering kiss on her forehead before he ushers them back into the warmth of the house.

If Rick notices any stray rose petals lingering along the wood of the porch he doesn’t acknowledge it, instead offering Beth a small smile and a warm hand against her back as he leads her inside.


End file.
